Of Kings, Knights, and Thieves
by dreamsinwords001
Summary: AU With the Grand Kingdom teetering at the edge of chaos, ten individual's lives begin to overlap as they work to attain their dreams. Of them, there is a prince still unready to be king, a swordsman who dreams of being a knight, and a thief desperate to save her village. As the paths of these strangers cross, they discover they are stronger together than they could ever be apart


Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

To preface, I'm currently already working on a One Piece fanfiction, but I just could not get this idea out of my head. And since I'm terrible at listening to my own advice, I decided to disregard my concerns about spreading myself too thin, and start on this anyway :) The updates will likely come less frequently for this story at first, since I still have to finish my first story.

About this story: This is an AU story, in which I decided to do a take on One Piece characters in a Medieval Fantasy setting. I grew up reading this kind of fantasy genre, and I simply could not pass up the opportunity to write a fic in this setting. This story will be told from multiple points of view, and the plot I have planned is pretty long. The characters may be slightly out of character, simply because of the different setting, but I will do my best to keep their personalities canon!

With that said, I hope you enjoy chapter 1! :)

Chapter 1:

* * *

_Scratch. Scratch. Scratch._

"Taxes to remain the same. Record that."

_Scratch._

"And now onto the budget for maintaining the royal gardens."

Slumped in his seat, Luffy listened idly to the dull droning of the royal advisors. As the wrinkled men and women discussed the management of the kingdom, the young prince stubbornly picked his nail against the table.

"I am of the opinion that we should allocate a greater budget for the gardens this year. The King and Queen's roses – may they rest in peace – are simply withering away."

_Scratch. Scratch._

Lifting his gaze from the now substantial groove in the dark oak, Luffy observed the table beneath half-drooped lids. It was the same every week. The ten advisors gathered, marshalling him in despite his protests, and proceeded to discuss the matters of the kingdom. An acknowledgment of his presence was a rare occurrence.

Despite the waning two years until he would ascend to the throne, Luffy had yet found interest in the topics at these meetings. After all – ever since his parents had passed ten years prior, the advisors had been the ones to run the kingdom. And the kingdom hadn't fallen into ruin yet, so he supposed they were doing a pretty good job of it. Now if only they would stop dragging him along.

Luffy sighed. In the small, round room, there was a single window. From where he sat, he could just make out the edge of a billowous cloud. Behind it, stretched clear, vivid blue. He _had_ to get out of here.

"And what of Princess Vivi? Has the Prince had an opportunity yet to speak with his betrothed?"

The sudden silence indicated that the question had been directed at him. Reigning in his wandering gaze, Luffy found himself faced with ten inquisitive stares.

"Huh?"

From across the table an advisor cleared his throat. Looking down his nose, he repeated the question. "Princess Vivi. They made the long trip here so that you two might have a chance to get to know one another. Have you spoken with her?"

Luffy's finger lifted from the groove. Princess Vivi. That was another problem entirely. And one that he had successfully avoided for the better part of the last three days. Scratching the back of his head, Luffy smiled sheepishly. It wasn't that he didn't like her – well, he didn't know her. Perhaps it was the daunting knowledge that he was supposed to marry this girl, who was all but a stranger, that made him reluctant to face her. Whatever it was, Luffy didn't dwell on it. For now, he was happy to avoid the situation for as long as possible. Not that the elders at the table would accept _that_ as an answer.

And then he had an idea.

Luffy jerked up. His chair scraped sharply against the stone floor. Those surrounding the table gave a collective wince.

Smacking a hand to his head, Luffy attempted an expression of horror. "Vivi! How could I have forgotten! I _haven't_ met her yet!" Shoving the chair back in place, Luffy marched determinedly around the table. "Don't you guys worry, I'll set this right." Yanking the chamber door open, the prince gave his advisors a somber nod. "I'll take care of this. Carry on without me."

The doors closed with a thud, cutting off any chance of protest. Taking hurried steps, Luffy fled down the hall and into a nearby courtyard. When the fresh air struck his face, the prince breathed a heavy sigh. Freedom.

Craning his neck, Luffy observed the sky. Free from the room, the blue sky seemed more expansive than ever. It was dotted with clouds. The irregular shapes were slowly migrating across the sea of blue. He wondered which one he had spotted from the window. His thoughts were interrupted by a low groan from his stomach. Luffy cringed, raising a hand to his protesting belly. That was another problem with the meetings. They could drag on for hours. By the time they were done, he was nearly always starving. But now that he was out early, he could certainly take care of that.

When Luffy arrived at the kitchens, the culinary staff was already in full swing. The clatter of pots, pans, and cutlery accompanied the cooks' rapid movements. The meeting must have gone longer than he thought if they were already starting dinner preparations.

Luffy stood in the doorway, watching as the room full of cooks efficiently worked, ducking and dodging around one another in an effortless dance. At the center of it all stood Zeff, the choreographer of the intricate routine. Luffy swallowed, weighing his stomach's pain against the potential wrath of the head cook if he interrupted dinner preparations.

Standing on his toes, Luffy peered over the bustling heads. Where was Sanji? Since childhood, Luffy had been friends with the young man apprenticed under the head cook. If he could catch his friend's eye, he might sneak him a snack. But Luffy couldn't spot his blond man anywhere in the crowd. Luffy paused. Sanji was devoted to his cooking above almost all else – if he had ducked out during dinner preparations, there was only one place he could be. Luffy left the kitchen, heading for the East Hall.

"Robin-my sweet!"

The cook's distinct voice could be heard from all the way down the hallway. Luffy grinned, pleased at having been able to predict his friend's location.

"I must return to the kitchen, but I hope my sweet enjoys her sweets!"

Luffy entered the record's room just as the cook was standing to leave. "Sanji! Help me! I need a snack!"

The cook turned, raising an eyebrow at Luffy's entrance. "Luffy." Briefly ducking his head, he seemed to take Luffy's demand in stride. "How can you possibly be hungry? I _saw _you eat two servings of lunch before your meeting!"

Luffy groaned. "It went forever! Come on Sanji!"

Shaking his head, the young cook pursed his lips. "Fine, fine, shitty prince. Come by the kitchens in fifteen minutes; I'll have something ready for you."

Well used to Sanji's cursing, Luffy broke out in a grin. By the time the cook had made his exit, Luffy was already sitting on one of the room's thick desks. Kneeling by a shelf stacked high with scrolls, Robin looked at him with a gentle frown. "You are my prince, but if you damage even one of the scrolls you are currently sitting upon, I will not hesitate to ban you from this room."

Glancing down, Luffy saw that he was indeed sitting atop several opened scrolls. Placing his hands on the edge of the desk, he gingerly lifted himself to a clear portion of the dark wood.

Robin smiled down at the scroll she was reading. "Thank you."

Luffy nodded. "Mhm."

Carefully, Robin began rolling the aged scroll in her hands. As apprentice to Clover, the head records keeper, Robin was entrusted with the maintenance and upkeep of the thousands of scrolls that were kept there. It was a job she took very seriously.

As the woman gently tucked the scroll back into its shelf, he felt her eyes upon him. Under her observant gaze, Luffy uneasily shifted. There was no telling what Robin would discern simply from looking at him.

"I have yet to see any of your advisors walk past. Did you perhaps steal away from your meeting early?"

Luffy shrugged sheepishly. Absentmindedly rolling the scrolls that lie beside him, he avoided her gaze.

"You _will_ have to start taking a more active role in this kingdom soon. In only two years you will sit upon the throne."

The prince's shoulders slumped. "I know. But my advisors have been doing it for so long – they don't even need me!"

Robin straightened. Setting the scrolls aside, she gave him her full attention. "What do you mean?"

Luffy shrugged once more. "At these meetings they don't ask me anything. They just carry on like I'm not there."

Robin didn't move, save for her blue eyes' gradual shifting over the shelves. "But surely they recognize that you need to immerse yourself in these affairs before you become King." Her voice was distant, as if she were merely thinking aloud.

Luffy leaned back, resting his hands against the back of the desk. He decided to answer her anyway. "Yeah probably. But maybe they feel like they've got such a good handle on it, they don't want to bother with me taking over until I become King. After all – they've been doing a decent job for the last ten years."

Robin looked down. Her fingers played over an aged scroll as her brows drew together in thought. When she looked up her expression was serious and her voice firm. "Luffy, I have a request."

Luffy tilted his head. Robin's tone was unusual; it was somber and serious even for her. When she did not resume speaking right away, he nodded for her to continue.

"Captain Smoker. He was your father's captain and head of security – loyal to your parents for many years."

"He's still captain _and _head of security." Luffy scratched his head. Why was Robin telling him things he already knew?

"Ask him to recruit new men and women – young ones – yet unpledged to anyone. Ask him to train them as knights and select the best to be your own personal guard. Loyal to you and no one else."

Luffy frowned. "My own personal guard?"

Robin nodded. "A king's guard. Your father had one. And his father before him."

"But I'm not king yet."

"You will be." Robin fixed him with a steady stare. "And I feel that you should have your own guard." She paused. "Will you grant my request?"

Luffy paused. Captain Smoker was more than a bit prickly around the edges, and to be honest, an intimidating man to talk to. But for Robin to make such a request was a rare occurrence. Luffy sighed. "I guess – if you really want me to."

Robin smiled. "Thank you Luffy."

Luffy hopped off the desk. Carefully skirting the historian and the scrolls spread around her, he looked from the window. The trees on the grounds below were finally starting to show the effects of fall. The green foliage was blended with hues of yellow and red. Leaning his elbows against the windowsill, he looked from the castle grounds to the expansive city beyond. What would it be like to have his own small band of knights? It might give him the freedom to travel about the capital – maybe even the kingdom. Luffy grinned. It might not be such a bad idea after all.

The scene's idle serenity gave way to the drone of voices and the muffled tapping of unhurried steps. Luffy glanced over his shoulder. He froze. In the hallway that stretched beyond the room of records, Princess Vivi was walking with her protector and advisor, Sir Igaram. The young woman's long, blue hair fell in thick waves over tanned shoulders. Her half-lidded eyes were cast to the ground. Both Princess' and advisor's heads were bent in quiet conversation. They were likely on their way to the pre-dinner social hour, and would be passing right by the room.

Luffy placed both hands on the window, lifting himself into a seated position on the ledge. He had avoided speaking to the Princess for three days; he wasn't about to break his record now. Besides, it was as good a time as any to go talk to Captain Smoker – and then he could stop by the kitchens.

Robin's head lifted at the Arabastian's approach. As she slid another scroll back onto its shelf, she continued to silently observe the conversing pair. "Luffy – have you had a chance to talk to Princess Vivi yet?"

Robin still watched the pair; And thus did not see Luffy hesitate, one leg already out the window. "Eh, not yet."

The historian shook her head, looking back to the scroll in her lap. "You _are_ going to have to talk to her eventually. As a future king, you cannot avoid these kinds of-" Robin glanced up from the aged writing in time to see a lone hand release its hold on the windowsill. The prince was gone. Robin spoke to an empty room "-responsibilities."

* * *

_Thwack_.

At the edge of the clearing, a lone figure stood. A heavy layer of mist sat stubbornly upon the meadow. The figure worked, hefting the axe above him and swinging it heavily down upon the fallen tree. Cloaked in fog, his appearance was nothing more than a silhouette, its methodical movement muted, blurred by the watery visage.

_Thwack._

With every strike, the sky's color shifted. Soon, tentative rays of light sifted between the surrounding trees. Rather than deny the light, the mist enveloped it. The figure's movement halted. Letting the axe fall to his side, the young man squinted into sudden glare. This was the worst time of the morning. The sun was not high enough to burn the mist away, but it was bright enough to light the fog in a blinding glow.

With a sigh, Zoro heaved the axe up one more time. When it struck the wood, Zoro released it, leaving the tool's metal edge buried in the thick bark. Wiping his palms over his shirt, he observed his work. A substantial pile of chopped wood had been haphazardly stacked nearby. He probably already had enough for what Usopp would need. There was no need to blind himself working in the mists' morning glare.

Stalking across the field, he bent, easily lifting the stack. When he passed the remnants of the tree he had been working on, he carefully shifted the cut logs into one hand, balancing them between his arm and chest. With the other, he yanked the axe from the wood. Despite the precarious stack of wood, his steps were confident. He had walked this route of the woods many times before.

He had worked for Usopp for many years cutting wood in the forest. Usopp was a carpenter; and though he was young, he was one of the best the capital city had. He was also his friend. Which was why Zoro felt so bad about what he was about to do. He sighed, releasing a puff of steam in the crisp morning air.

He was going to have to quit. He had known he was going to ever since he had seen the poster on his way to the tavern a week prior. The paper had stated in large, bolded letters:

**CAPTAIN SMOKER SEEKS, ON BEHALF OF PRINCE LUFFY, YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TO FORM AN ELITE PERSONAL GUARD. INITIAL TRYOUTS SET FOR OCT. 1**

It was what he'd always wanted to do; become a knight, serve the king. It had been his dream since childhood. And this was his chance. He'd never had the money or the formal training to become a knight. But if he was able to get through the initial selection process, he would receive that training. And if he made it through the training and was selected to be one of the guard, the kingdom would sponsor his knighthood.

Zoro emerged from the trees. After crossing through the city gate, the young man carefully made his way through the city's narrow streets.

It would not be easy. He would likely be competing against individuals with substantially more training and experience. But he had worked too. It might not have been formal, but he had been training himself since he could wield a blade – Zoro grimaced as he mentally corrected himself – or whatever was close to one. He'd never had much money, so he trained himself using heavy wood that Usopp had shaped into the facsimile of a weapon. And he had trained his muscles; working out every day, often multiple times a day, pushing himself until his bones ached and his muscles shivered.

Zoro shifted, readjusting the pile of wood. He would get through the initial tryouts – he had to.

By the time he arrived at Usopp's shop, the sun had lifted over the veil of fog. Beneath its warm rays, the city was coming alive. Bypassing the front door, he went around the side of the building, pushing the gate open with the side of his boot. It was still too early for the shop to be open. Usopp would be working in the back. Sure enough, when he rounded the house, he saw the doors at the building's back hung open. Seated within the reach of the pale morning light, the carpenter leaned over a table, carefully whittling embellishment atop an ornate shelf.

The young man's attention was completely enveloped in the project before him. His long nose brushed the intricately carved wood as he meticulously checked his work. The carpenter wore a simple, worn pair of overalls. His bushy hair was secured back in a loose leather tie. Dark hands bore the callouses of many years of work.

"Zoro!" The sharp voice of a child caught Zoro off guard. Starting, the precarious pile of wood shifted. With a clatter, it spilled to the ground.

At the sudden noise, Usopp jumped up. His foot caught on his stool, and he barely avoided falling by flailing an arm and grabbing for the table in front of him. Panting, Usopp glared over his shoulder. "What the hell Zoro? It's too early to be scaring me like that."

The child's high pitched giggling sounded behind him. Zoro turned back with a slight glare of his own. "Chopper. You did that on purpose."

The boy was sitting atop the fence. He had messy brown hair and a bright smile. His legs kicked idly back and forth as his grin widened. "Did not! I thought you saw me."

"How could I possibly have seen you? The pile of wood was stacked higher than my head."

The giggling picked up anew.

Shaking his head, Zoro bent to arrange the wood into a semi-neat pile. He did his best to suppress the grin that threatened his lips. As he lifted the wood, he glanced up at the boy. "Why aren't you with Doctor Kureha?"

Chopper was an orphan. Though when he was still young, the local Witch doctor, Kureha, had decided to take him in. It was somewhat surprising that the old woman had such an act of kindness in her, since she seemed to be an otherwise hard character. But personality aside, she was a talented physician. For any and all who could not afford the palace doctors, she was the first choice in healthcare. Even some who could afford the palace doctors still chose to come to her. And she was training Chopper in her art. The kid seemed to have an aptitude for it. He was good enough now that she trusted him to help her with patients and mix various medicines and herbs.

Still sitting upon the fence, Chopper shrugged. "She sent me out to deliver cough syrup to Auntie. Some of her kids are sick. I decided to stop and see Usopp on my way back."

Zoro placed the last log on the pile. Straightening, he frowned. He knew Auntie, the woman who took in stray children. He had gotten roped into babysitting one horrible day years ago. "Are they gonna be alright?"

Chopper bobbed his head hurriedly up and down. "Oh yes. They'll be fine. It's just for easing the pain of their throats from all that coughing."

Zoro nodded. "It's actually good that you're here. I cut myself this morning, you think it needs to be sewed up?" Zoro lifted his hand, displaying the gash that ran across the bottom of his palm. It was slightly puckered from the continued activity he had subjected to. At the time he hadn't wanted to mess with it, but now it was starting to sting.

Chopper's mouth fell open. "Zoro! Why do you keep doing these things to yourself?" The boy pulled a cloth sack from his shoulder as he frantically motioned for Zoro to come over.

When Zoro held his hand out, Chopper leaned forward, inspecting it with pursed lips. "It doesn't need to be stitched, if that's what you mean. But it does need salve – and to be wrapped." Without saying anything else, Chopper pulled a jar from his bag. Working quickly and confidently, small hands applied a green salve to the wound. Zoro wrinkled his nose. Its smell was an odd combination of eucalyptus and peppermint. Once the salve was thickly coated over the scratch, Chopper wrapped a thin strip of cotton over and around his hand. The boy tied it off in a tight knot.

Zoro lifted his hand away. He flexed his fingers to make sure the bandage allowed him adequate movement.

"Keep the bandage on for today and tomorrow. You can take it off the day after, but make sure you keep the area clean."

Zoro nodded. "Thanks." When he looked up from his hand, Chopper was tying up his bag. He was surprised to notice that the young boy was wearing nothing more than pants and a thin, sleeveless tunic. It was almost October. The chill of fall had already set in; where was thick coat he usually wore? He had to be freezing. Zoro blinked, peering closely at Chopper. The boy's nose even seemed a bit blue. "Chopper. Why aren't you wearing a coat? You're the doctor in training, aren't you worried about getting sick or something?"

Chopper shifted guiltily. He looked to the ground. "This morning, some of the kids didn't have coats. I thought they could use it more than me."

Zoro sighed, running a hand through his hair. This kid was too nice for his own good. "You're not going to be a very helpful doctor if you're sick." Zoro looked down, he had nothing to give the kid. He was only wearing a short sleeve shirt himself – but the cold didn't affect him like it did someone young like Chopper. Glancing back, he saw that Usopp had returned to his carving. "Usopp?"

Looking up from his work, the carpenter glanced from Zoro to Chopper. His perceptive eyes figured out the situation in a moment. Pushing himself up from the table, he walked into the shop. He called over his shoulder, "Chopper, you've _got_ to stop giving away your clothes."

Chopper's shoulders drooped. He still stared morosely at the ground. "Dr. Kureha's going to kill me."

Zoro chuckled. "She's certainly not going to be happy. But you're too good of a doctor for her to kill you." The side of Chopper's lips turned up in a reluctant smile. Zoro set his hand on his shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze. "But Usopp's right. Wait until you have a fancy job in the palace before you start giving things away. Then at least you'll be able to afford it."

Chopper sighed, lifting his head. "If that ever happens, it's going to be ages away. I want to help people now."

"Then help them by being a great doctor. And like I said, you can't do that if you're frozen solid. Your nose is even turning blue!" Zoro flicked his thumb over Chopper's nose. Chopper swatted his hand away, but the action elicited a giggle.

Usopp emerged from the shop, carrying an item of clothing in the crook of his arm. When he reached them, he shook out the brown coat. It was matted and bore a few tears, but its material was thick, and would keep its wearer warm. Usopp lifted the coat, and Chopper reluctantly raised his arms. Carefully lifting the coat over the young boy, Usopp maneuvered his arms into the long sleeves. On Chopper's small body, the coat was huge. It hung past his knees and the sleeves extended well past his hands. Shaking his head, Usopp rolled the sleeves until Chopper's small hands were visible. When he stepped back, their young friend was bundled securely in Usopp's old coat.

"Chopper, seriously – stop giving your stuff away. My wardrobe gets smaller every time you do."

Chopper smiled, hugging the jacket around him. "Thanks Usopp."

Usopp's lips twitched up in a slight smile. "Can't have our resident doctor getting sick. Now get going, Kureha's going to be mad if you take too long."

Chopper nodded, sliding off the fence. "You're right. See you guys later!" The boy looked slightly ridiculous shuffling from the yard in the oversized coat. But at least he'd be warm.

Usopp shook his head as he watched him leave. "I wasn't kidding. I'm running out of warm clothes."

Zoro gave his friend a sympathetic glance. "I would give you some of mine, but I've only got one other shirt and another pair of pants."

"I know. It's gross."

Zoro scowled. "I just have other priorities." At that thought, he stilled. He still needed to tell Usopp that he wouldn't be able to work for him anymore.

"Yeah, yeah. Like killing yourself working out every second of the day."

After Usopp's statement, a bird twittered. It was sitting upon the shop's eves. Zoro ran a hand over the back of his neck. He really didn't want to tell Usopp, but if he was going to do it, it would have to be now. "Uh. Usopp. I need to talk about this job."

Beside him, Usopp leaned back against the fence. "You're not going to be able to chop wood anymore because you're going to the tryouts tomorrow for the King's Guard."

"How did you know?"

Usopp smiled. "You've wanted to be a knight since you were a kid Zoro. The second I saw the posters I knew that you were going to try out." Usopp's smile wavered. "What I don't know is why you decided it was a good idea to wait until the day before to tell me!" The carpenter slugged him on the shoulder. "Who does that?"

Zoro cringed. "I didn't know how to bring it up. Besides! You already knew anyway!"

"You didn't know that!"

Zoro groaned. "Sorry."

Usopp shook his head. "You're just lucky I started looking for extra help early."

Zoro raised his head, relieved. "You do have someone else to work for you then?"

"A few kids were looking for work. I figured the three of them together might be able to cut almost as much as you do."

"Kids? You sure it's safe for them? And you're sure they can actually get enough work done?"

Usopp frowned. "I'm not sure. But they really need the work. I couldn't turn them away."

"Chopper's not the only one who's too nice for his own good."

Usopp gave him a good natured push. Digging into his coat he pulled out a small sack of coins. With a grin, he tossed them to Zoro. "Your pay for this month and last."

Zoro nodded his thanks.

Usopp turned back to his shop. "I have to get back to work. Go do more training or something."

Zoro laughed. "That's what I'm planning on."

As he turned to leave, he heard Usopp call from his shop, "Show the other wanna be knights what people from the lower city are made of!"

Zoro pulled the gate closed behind him. "I will."

By the time Zoro made it back to his home, the city was fully alive. The streets were crowded and the people bustling. Though it was little more than a room and a bed, Zoro was glad to be back. He shut the door firmly behind him, pulling his boots off at the mat.

Perched against the wall beside the door were the wooden practice swords he had used throughout the years. The oldest ones were scarred with deep cracks and some had even broken completely in two. The newer ones were still mostly intact, save for the occasional chip. Zoro rested an irreverent hand on them as he passed. If he became a knight, he would finally have a real sword of leather and steel, but these had been invaluable tools of practice.

Letting his fingers trail over the smooth, wooden hilts, he approached the cabinet that sat in the corner of the room. Yanking out the top drawer, he opened a container, pulling out a strip of dried meat. As he chewed on the snack, he considered how he wanted to begin his workout. The tryouts were tomorrow. He wanted to get a decent workout, but he didn't want to be overly sore. Perhaps he would start with basic strength training and then move to sword work.

Zoro was still considering his options when he became aware of a commotion taking place outside. From beyond his door, he could hear distant shouts. Someone even screamed.

Zoro frowned. Setting his snack aside, he approached the door, intending to find out what was going on. But before he could reach it, the door was flung open. As quickly as it opened, it was closed, and a young woman stood panting, her hand pressed heavily against it.

For a moment, Zoro was stunned into silence by the sudden presence of the woman in his house. But as she stood bent, sucking deep breaths against the door, his voice returned to him. "Who the hell are you?"

Orange hair shifted. As she stood to face him, young woman's lips quirked up in a crafty smile. "Are you always this rude to your guests?"

* * *

Thanks for reading!

I haven't seen this kind of AU on this site before. I'm curious, is this something people are interested in reading? I'm super excited about the idea, but given my reading preferences I am a bit biased :P Anyway, I would be so appreciative if you left a review letting me know! Thanks! :)


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